WSBK: Qatar

Rea wraps up an exciting 2019 WSBK season with a triple victory. Now we take a break until next time

The last round of the 2019 season of WsBK was held under the floodlights of the losail International Circuit. Jonathan rea (Kawasaki racing team WorldsBK) blitzed around the track with a time of 1:56.246, claiming pole position. Joining him on the front row were alex lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldsBK team) and sandro Cortese (Grt Yamaha WorldsBK).

Race One

the first two positions in the championship were already decided but this race was crucial for the third-place fight. rea fought off a charging tom sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldsBK team) and took the holeshot. lowes and Cortese also put themselves among the top four. on lap six, misfortune struck Cortese because he crashed out of the race just after Chaz davies (aruBa.It racing – ducati) overtook him. another rider who did not have luck on his side was the young turk, toprak razgatlioglu (turkish Puccetti racing). With six laps left, he rocketed off the track into the gravel at turn six. although he managed to stay on the motorcycle and rejoined the race, considerable damage had been done to his chance of securing third place in the championship.

rea maintained his pace at the front and rode to another victory, sealing the Manufacturers’ Championship for Kawasaki for the fifth time consecutively. having started 12th, davies did an impressive job by finishing in second place while lowes rounded off the podium in third.

Race Two

rea hung on to his metronomic form for the tissot superpole race as well. he rocketed to another win and was joined on the podium by Álvaro Bautista (aruBa.It racing – ducati) and lowes in second and third places respectively.

during the start of race two, Bautista managed to make the most of the ducati but ran wide, letting rea and a few others through. By the second lap, rea and Bautista were back at it again, making daring passes and counter-attacks. similar attacks were also taking place just behind the top duo. By the fourth lap, the riders settled into a rhythm and Bautista began hunting down rea again. the spaniard edged up the inside of rea quite a few times but the Kawasaki’s prowess in braking made sure that rea always had a chance to regain his position. this scrap gave davies enough time to catch up. With a few laps to go, davies made his move and overtook his teammate, a critical point in the race.

rea finished in first place while davies and Bautista finished in second and third respectively. With this win, rea is now singlehandedly responsible for half of Kawasaki’s victories in World superbike. lowes took third place in the 2019 championship.

With the entry of scott redding, Bautista’s move to honda, and the introduction of a very menacing honda CBr1000rr-r fireblade, the 2020 season will be an exciting affair.

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